August 23, 2012

Walking Toward a Miracle…Gotcha’ Day!

Thursday night was spent getting everything ready. We tried to get some sleep, but that wasn’t really happening. Friday morning, we left half an hour early, and headed to Mississippi. It was a good thing we left early, since we made lots of stops on the way down! Our nerves were so jangled; I felt like I’d had several pots of coffee.

Neither of us are good with directions, but Meridian is small, and we found the Lifeline offices quickly. I started to cry when I saw the brick building, but quickly got control of myself. We were precisely on time. We gathered everything from the car, and walked up to the glass doors. A social worker stuck her head out and said to wait just a moment. I was so antsy at this point, it seemed like forever! Then she motioned us into the building.

We walked in, and there he was. Lying in a wooden cradle was the most beautiful baby boy. Our boy. Our Nathan. I stepped up to the crib, and dropped my purse and the diaper bag on the ground. (Good thing I didn’t have the camera!) Through tears and a few sobs, I reached down to pick him up for the first time. I kissed him, again and again, and whispered to him how much I loved him. After a minute, I realized that his daddy might want to see him too, so I turned around, but wasn’t willing to let go yet. I now believe in love at first sight!

Nathan had a blanket that a local ladies’ group had crocheted for him. His foster mom had sent a sweet card for me, and the social workers gave me my first Mothers’ Day card!

After much sniffling (on everyone’s part!), we sat down to do paperwork. Since this office has such a limited staff, there was no one to keep him while we signed things. (Typically a baby is given to the parents after everything is completed.) I struggled to hold him while scribbling my John Hancock on what seemed like reams of papers. Thankfully we’d already read it all, so it was just a formality.

About thirty minutes after arriving, we walked out of the office. We’d come in as a couple, but left a family. Praise the Lord!